


I Am Also a We

by NeverlandHeart



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-02 08:21:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17260835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeverlandHeart/pseuds/NeverlandHeart
Summary: Sometimes, life has perfect timing. Like when a thunderstorm starts right when you want it to, or when literal fireworks go off to a first kiss. Maybe it’s fate, or destiny. Maybe it’s the world’s way of making tiny little magic.If you’re lucky, these moments can be people. People who you would have never guessed would come into your life, people who you love in a multitude of ways, and who love you back, unconditionally. No matter how far apart you are from them. Sometimes, lightning strikes at the perfect time, and lights up a dark sky.For eight people all over the globe, at midnight, on January fourteenth, lighting strikes and slowly, then all at once, eight strangers become connected in a way they’ll never be able to describe.Or,A magicians sense8 AU





	1. When it rains, it doesn't

**Author's Note:**

> I’m so very excited about this story.

As soon as the clock on her phone reads midnight, turning the date to January fourteenth, the ringtone is going off loudly and Julia groans.

From beside her, James sighs, eyes closed. “Every year she does this, and yet I never give up the hope that one day she’ll let us sleep.”

Julia can’t help but laugh at that as she answers her phone. “Hi.”

“Grandma Wicker?” Julia scoffs and shakes her head, climbing out of bed and walking to the bathroom to let James go back to sleep.

“You’re literally just a year younger than me, Rina.”

Marina hums. “Sorry, granny, didn’t catch that.”

Julia shuts the door to the bathroom and flicks the light on, blinking as her eyes adjust to the sudden brightness. “Shut up, oh my god.” She tries to sound annoyed but the laughter in her voice gives her away. She sits on the edge of the bathtub. “Can we get this over with?” 

Marina laughs. “And to think, this used to be your favorite part.” At that Marina hangs up and Julia only has to wait ten seconds before the FaceTime request pulls up. She presses accept and is immediately greeted by her best friends beaming grin. “Happy Birthday!” There’s a small cupcake in her hand with a lit candle and Julia makes a show of pretending to blow it out, which Marina actually does. “What did you wish for?”

“Hmm,” Julia rests her chin in her palm. “That next year you’ll let me sleep in.”

Marina scoffs. “And let James win? I think the fuck not.”

“Rina, it’s not a real competition when the only person competing is you.”

Marina waves her hand. “Details.” She gives Julia a real smile, not her usual grin or smirk. “But really, Happy birthday, Jules. I hope twenty five is even better than twenty four.”

Julia returns her smile. “Thank you, Rina. Love you. Goodnight.” She doesn’t wait for Marina to reply, simply pressing end. She breathes in deeply before opening the bathroom door and flicking the light off.

When she gets back to bed, James is asleep.

* * *

At six in the morning, her alarm goes off and she stretches, opening her eyes. She immediately winces and closes them again. “Fuck.” There’s a pounding in her head, right behind her eyes.

“Good morning, birthday girl.” James is already dressed for the day, leaning down to place a quick kiss to her lips, he grabs his keys off the nightstand. “Hey, you okay?”

Julia groans but sits up. “I feel like someone is stabbing a knife into my skull.”

James frowns and sits on the edge of the bed, placing his hand on her forehead for a few seconds before pulling it away. “You don’t have a fever. Is it bad?”

Julia nods and instantly regrets it. “It’s someone please turn off the sun bad.”

He laughs lightly but his eyes are full of concern. “Could it be the meds?”

Julia rubs her eyes, trying to get the sleep out of them. “I don’t think so. Maybe Rina’s right, I’m old.”

At that, James let’s out a genuine laugh. “I’ll make sure to get you a cane, then. Seriously though, I can stay home with you. And don’t give me that look, either, you’re not going to work today. I know about the case you’re working with and the trial isn’t for another week, you’re staying home.”

Julia pouts at him dramatically. “Fine. But you’re going to work.”

“Are you sure?”

Julia pushes her hair out of her face. “I’m sure, Marina is coming over later anyway.”

James scrunches his face up playfully. “Ew.”

She hits his shoulder and he laughs, moving backwards. “Okay, okay,” He leans down to kiss her forehead. “I’ll see you later for your birthday dinner. I love you.”

She gives him a gentle smile. “Love you too.”

* * *

She doesn’t remember falling asleep, but she’s woken up by the sound of someone knocking on the apartment door. Blinking, she looks at the clock to see that it’s twelve in the afternoon and her eyes widen. How the fuck had she taken a six hour nap?

She jolts when the knocking turns to banging. “I’m coming!” She quickly slips on a pair of skinny jeans before walking towards the door and opening it. “Sorry, hi.”

Marina smirks at her and walks past her towards the kitchen. “You know, I was really expecting a, ‘help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!’ Situation.”

Julia rolls her eyes and closes the door. “You should do stand up.”

Marina hums as she pours herself a shot. “James texted me earlier and said you aren’t feeling good.” She tosses the shot back and turns to face Julia. “I was thinking we could go to Starbucks.”

Sighing, Julia leans against the wall. “I don’t know.”

“Oh, come on, I’ll buy you cake pops.” Marina grins at her, knowing that Julia can never resist the offer of her favorite sweet.

“...You’re buying me five.”

Her grin turns into a smirk. “It’s your birthday, I’ll buy you a hundred. I’m giving you five minutes to get dressed before I drag your ass out of here!”

Julia rolls her eyes but complies walking back back to the bedroom. She quickly sheds her shirt and puts on a bra before slipping on a simple sweater. She slides her feet into black ankle boots and walks back to Marina, grabbing the keys to her apartment on her way. “Ready.”

* * *

True to her word, Marina buys her five different flavored cake pops and they find a spot outside to sit. “So, you know how the studio got a new instructor to help me out?”

Julia nods and Marina begins to talk about how absolutely positive that they’re going to fuck. While she talks, Julia zones out the smallest bit. She lifts her cup of coffee to her lips, pausing when she feels a drop of water land on her hand. “Oh fuck.” She feels more scatter around her arms and her face. “We should get going.”

Marina raises an eyebrow at her. “Why? Feeling sick again?”

Julia gives her a look. “Because it’s raining, dummy.”

Marina frowns at her. “No it’s not.”

“What? Yes it is, how can you not feel-“ She looks down at her arms and hands when the feeling of raindrops vanishes. She’s completely dry. “What the hell?”

Marina gives her a worried look. “Jules, are you sure you’re okay?”

Julia looks up at the sky and frowns. The sun is shining brightly, not even a hint of rain in the clouds. “..I must’ve imagined it.” She tries to shake away the feeling that she’s lying to Marina, because it was far too real for it to have been her imagination. “Sorry, what were you saying about Connor?”

* * *

An hour later, Julia is back in her apartment. She swallows a Tylenol for her migraine and walks towards the bathroom. As she waits for the shower to heat up to the perfect temperature, she tries to get herself back into focus. When the water is hot enough, she slips out of her clothes and walks into the shower, pulling the curtain closed. The hot water helps her migraine some, but not enough. After she rinses her hair she turns the water off, opening the curtain and-

There’s a woman standing in the middle of her bathroom, her skin is tan, a slight contrast to her green eyes and dark brown curly hair. She looks as alarmed as Julia feels.

And, well, when it fully hits her, Julia does the first thing that anyone would do when there’s a stranger standing in your apartment. 

She screams.  



	2. Headlights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steeling herself, she walks into the restaurant where a waiter greets her and she explains she’s meeting someone. Charlie quickly notices her and waves her over. She slides into the booth and thanks the waiter as he hands her a menu. She orders a sparkling water because she’s driving and he leaves to bring her the drink. “You’re late, for a minute I was worried you weren’t coming.” 
> 
> He’s not signing as he talks, he doesn’t need to, and Alice knows how well he can read lips so she doesn’t sign either, using her hands to nervously smooth down her dress. “I know, I’m sorry, you know it takes a while for me to get into the city.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry it took me a while to get this up.

Alice sighs in annoyance as she unlocks the door to her house and walks inside. She attempts to wipe the rain drops off her glasses, but it only smudges them. Quickly walking into her bathroom, she takes her glasses off and begins to rub her hair with a towel. The damn rain had come out of nowhere and of course she wasn’t prepared. When she’s satisfied with her appearance, she quickly changes into a different dress and settles down on her couch, tucking her legs underneath her. Pulling out her phone, she scrolls through her contacts before pressing on one.

As she waits for the call to be answered, she stares out at the acres of land that surround her house, where two of her horses are bucking playfully at each other. The FaceTime call connects and she beams as her brothers face appears. She quickly leans her phone up against a book so she can sign. “Hey, big brother.”

He grins back, hands quickly moving as he signs back. “Hey, little sister. Happy birthday. Twenty four, right?”

Alice rolls her eyes, knowing that he knows she’s twenty five now. “Shut up. How’s everything?”

He shrugs his shoulders, thinking before signing again. “Same old, I guess. Wish you’d come over more.”

There’s a pang of guilt in her chest. It’s easy, FaceTimeing with her brother, she doesn’t have to see how different his life is over a screen. It’s been ten years since his accident, and he’s absolutely living his life to the fullest, but even though she sees and recognizes he’s doing just fine, her heart breaks when she sees all the ways he’s had to adjust his life as someone who’s deaf. And it’s all her fault.

She gives him a sheepish smile to hide her sadness. “I know, I’m sorry. Work is just insane. And with all the fostering I’m doing, it’s hard to get into the city.”

Charlie nods understandably, though she can see the hurt in his eyes. “You’re still coming tonight though, right?”

Alice swallows the lump in her throat but smiles and nods quickly. “Of course, wouldn’t miss it.”

He beams at her and puts his hands down, choosing to speak instead. “Alright, love you.”

“I love you too, Charlie.”

When the call ends, Alice sighs and leans backwards, rubbing at her temples. She’s almost certain that her migraine is because of the French woman she had to translate for this morning. She was, put simply, a nightmare.

There’s a meow on the side of the couch and she smiles as she leans down to pick up the small white four month old kitten. “Well, hello there.” She quickly curls up on Alice’s chest, purring loudly. “Are you excited, April? You get your forever home tomorrow.” Alice knows it’s going to end as it always does, with her fighting back tears as she says goodbye to another one of her fosters, but being filled with pride knowing she’s going to a wonderful home. She scratches under April’s chin. “I’m going to miss you.” As if understanding her, April opens her eyes, blue eyes shining as she rubs her head against Alice’s chin.

There’s a loud neigh outside and Alice sighs but smiles. “Lunch time.” She gently picks up the kitten and sets her on the couch before walking outside.

Both of her horses immediately run to the entrance of the fence and Alice can’t help but laugh. “Hold on, I’m coming.” She turns on the hose to fill up their bucket of water, and her black Arabian mare rears up at her slightly. “Nakima, knock that off.”

She walks to the barn and grabs a bale of hay, throwing it over the fence for them and Nakima pushes past her buckskin quarter horse gelding to get to it first. “Very rude, isn’t she, Gus?” She makes sure that both of them are getting their fair share before walking back inside.

* * *

For the next two hours, she watches reruns of Friends, April curled up on her lap. When she sees it’s almost six, she stands off the couch and switches off the television. Walking into her room, she grabs a simple collared dress and black flats, slipping them on quickly. She doesn’t bother with makeup, simply brushing her hair. Once she’s satisfied with her appearance, she grabs her car keys off the hook and leaves her house, double checking that she’s locked the door.

* * *

It takes her a half hour to get to the city where she’s meeting Charlie for her birthday dinner. When she parks her car, she has take multiple deep breaths before getting out and locking it. She can see him through the window of the restaurant and she smiles slightly. Despite the extreme guilt she feels, she’s always happy when she gets to spend time with him.

After their parents, if Alice could genuinely even call them that, died five years ago in a freak plane crash, Charlie had begun to reach out to her even more, saying that they were they only ones in their family left. For years, Charlie had assumed that Alice’s distance from him was because of something he had done, though it was the complete opposite. She’s always going to hate herself for it, but she used their parents as her excuse. Charlie had always been closer to them than she had, so when they died, and she started reconnecting with him, he came to the false conclusion that they were why she had stayed away from him, and that their deaths were why she came back. In hindsight, that’s horrible, which, trust her, she gets.

But the truth is so much worse. Because how can Alice tell him that it’s because every time she looks at him, she remembers the night they had the worst argument they had ever had, which had led to him driving off in his car and getting into an accident that left him permanently deaf?

She can’t tell him. Not just because the guilt swallows her up, but because he doesn’t know.

Because he doesn’t remember anything that happened the night of his accident.

And Alice knows that he’d never forgive her for it. So, she lets him believe that it was their parents that kept her away.

Steeling herself, she walks into the restaurant where a waiter greets her and she explains she’s meeting someone. Charlie quickly notices her and waves her over. She slides into the booth and thanks the waiter as he hands her a menu. She orders a sparkling water because she’s driving and he leaves to bring her the drink. “You’re late, for a minute I was worried you weren’t coming.”

He’s not signing as he talks, he doesn’t need to, and Alice knows how well he can read lips so she doesn’t sign either, using her hands to nervously smooth down her dress. “I know, I’m sorry, you know it takes a while for me to get into the city.”

Charlie nods understandably, sipping on his glass of Coke. “How is everyone?”

Alice gives him a genuine smile at that, knowing he’s talking about the animals. “Really good. April is going to her forever home tomorrow.”

“She’s the one they found living that abandoned house right?”

Alice nods. “Mhmm. She’s come such a long way, I’m proud of her. Gonna miss her like hell, though.”

Charlie laughs lightly at that. “You always say that.”

“Because it’s always true!” Alice doesn’t need to fake her laugh when Charlie rolls his eyes at her.

“How’s work?”

For the next two hours, she and Charlie catch up on the things going on in each other’s lives. There’s a new girl at Charlie’s office and they’ve gotten coffee a few time, which Charlie hopes will eventually lead to dinner. Alice hopes so, too. She wants him to have all the happiness in the universe.

* * *

After, Charlie offers to walk her to her car. She accepts and they both walk through the parking lot. “So, I was thinking-“

Alice blinks and suddenly it’s pitch black outside, the only light coming from the headlights of a car that’s speeding right towards them. Instincts kicking in, Alice pushes Charlie forward out of its path. Because she had pushed him so hard, Alice falls on her hands and knees. Wincing, she closes her eyes, waiting for the blow to come.

Except it never does.

She opens her eyes to find there’s no car, and it’s still slightly light outside. Charlie is staring at her in shock and he rushes to help her up. “Jesus Christ, Alice, are you okay? What just happened?”

Alice stares at where the car was, blinking. “I saw..I thought..it..what the fuck?”

Needles to say, Charlie doesn’t let her drive herself home that night.


End file.
